Bring Her Home

Learning the Past

Before he assisted Steve and Sam in trying to find Flora, Bucky took it upon himself to find out what happened to her parents. All he knew was what she'd told him; that they'd been taken to a camp.

He made his way to the Smithsonian and walked through the Captain America and Sergeant Barnes exhibit. He still found it strange to see himself, Steve, Flora and everyone they'd known in the '40s plastered on walls and playing on screens.

Bucky found Flora's picture and inscription and stepped back to read it.

'Flora Stewart moved from Berlin, Germany to Brooklyn, New York at a young age. There, she met Steve Rogers and James "Bucky" Barnes, the two boys who would become her best friends. Due to Flora's chosen beliefs, she and her parents experienced extreme prejudice. At a similar time of her draft notice, she received word that her parents, Oskar and Sofie, were in danger, and tragically didn't make it. Feelings grew between Barnes and Stewart, and had things ended differently, the two may have lived a life together. She joined Captain America's Howling Commandos and made a name for herself. Stewart is the only Howling Commando to give her life in service of this country.'

Bucky pursed his lips, finding the lack of information he needed incredibly annoying.

As he walked away, he passed a familiar face. Her red hair and crystal blue eyes were unmistakable; even with a baseball cap and hoodie.

Bucky, who'd abruptly stopped, said, "Flor? I know it's you. Do you want help trying to remember?"

Flora slowly turned to face the brunet man. She looked up and shook her head. "James, I'm sorry. But I need to do this on my own."

"The thing is, you don't have to."

"Yes, I think I do. But if I ever reach out, will you be there?"

"Always. Like Steve said, I'm with you til the end of the line."

A small smile tugged at her lips and she nodded. "Goodbye, Jam- Uh, Bucky."

"Goodbye, Flora. I have a feeling we'll see each other again soon."

Flora walked away, ducking her head.

Bucky smiled softly. It was clear her memory was slowly returning, and to say he was thrilled was an understatement. As much as he wanted to follow her, he knew she was right. This was something she had to do on her own. But if she ever reached out, he'd drop everything in a heartbeat to be at her side.

Continuing his mission to find information on her parents, he made his way to a library and got a computer.

He typed 'Oskar and Sofie Stewart' into the search bar, but nothing popped up. He remembered Flora telling him of a name change and changed Stewart to Vogt.

Flora's parents were mentioned in numerous articles about Auschwitz-Birkenau casualties.

He clicked on one of the links. Flora's mother had been gassed upon arrival due to her poor health. Her father had caught typhoid and hadn't recovered. They'd been buried in a mass grave amongst thousands of others.

The bile rose in his throat as he reread the newfound information. When Flora resurfaced from wherever she was hiding, he knew he'd have to tell her about what had happened to her parents, if she even remembered them. He could only hope she did. Nearly 70 years of brainwashing didn't sound easy to recover from. Knowing that he had to tell her the tragic news broke him. Everyone wanted a happy ending, but a wish like that didn't often happen it seemed.

Bucky closed the window and logged out, letting out a long sigh. While he'd hoped for a happy ending for her folks, he knew that with their religion, where they'd been and what had most likely happened, which had been confirmed, that they hadn't gotten a happy ending. But at least Flora was alive.